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Pieter C.

Think about this the next time you'll fly QR

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http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/the-truth-about-the-luxury-of-qatar-airways/

 

No wonder that football-player could not leave Qatar as well !!!

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What interests me in the article is the CEO of QR himself as described by the interviewees. Seems like he is so 'garang' (hot-headed) in certain situation when deals with his airline crews.

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On my recent trip to HKT on QR, it was quite obvious that some of the crew were very stressed. Lots of frowny faces when serving pax and can observe dark circles under their eyes. If I recall, the crew would do DOH-KUL / KUL-HKT-KUL / KUL-DOH and restart from there.

 

On the inbound to KUL, I did stop to chat a bit on the way out. Simple stories and jokes were enough to brighten their day, and I guess I made one happy enough to give me an amenity kit :p

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Though I never flown with QR before, I feel sorry for the cabin crews. There is one thread in a forum (cabincrew.com) where some forumers who worked for QR been asking for advises to apply in EK. Working in QR vs EK can be night and day experiences according to one of the forumers there.

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is it true or rumour? is there any evidence or confirmation about his issues that we can read or watch etc? (I'm not defending QR, just I want to be sure that I read)

Edited by Hakan

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I am not saying that this story is untrue.

 

However, the success of the ME3 airlines is causing headaches to established industry players. Some countries restrict their flying rights, others may run negative media campaigns.

 

So just read these stories and bear that in mind - what is written here may contain a deeper agenda.

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I have also flown on QR to HKT before and IIRC in my TR I pointed out that the crew was less attentive.. Perhaps the good publicity from the beginning set my expectation higher than should have.

 

Then again, it's a LCC-price FSC.

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This article nails it correctly. I was with a flight attendant preparatory academy previously. Two of my trainers were previously with QR. What the article mentioned are what they told me and my team mates. One of our senior's mum was very sick and about to die back in Malaysia and she asked for leniency from the QR mgt. Their response: "Your job or you mum?" She was at brink of bursting in tears. She chose latter. Akbar Al Baker is a control freak and will spot check anywhere, anytime. QR is a strictly controlled company. Dun expect freedom from them, sadly...........

Edited by JuliusWong

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Believe similar strict terms and conditions are imposed on foreign workers in all Middle East countries.

 

Perhaps MAR can shed some light on this.

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Emirates are OK I think. I have two friends working as cabin crew- They can go freely & invited guest into their apartment provided by emirates without permission.

 

I frequent Qatar airways from 2012. I never take notice of the crew tho......

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Believe similar strict terms and conditions are imposed on foreign workers in all Middle East countries.

 

Perhaps MAR can shed some light on this.

 

different Middle East countries different rules..UAE is very lenient..no such thing as exit permit...in Qatar..you need your sponsor to sign off your exit permit before you can exit the country...its like a jail basically.. a good friend of mine who was an ex QR cabin crew got blacklisted from entering Qatar just because she asked for 24hr resignation notice ( she wanted to get married but was told to postpone it by management).. despite of the almost non existence of human rights...i survived Qatar for 4.5yrs

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So, if QR is too bad for working regulations, why many western origin people (womans) works in QR as FA still? Don't they know what will be happens when join to QR by rumours, experiences of ex-FAs, complaints from assc. of international FA (I think there would be such as an association care about foreign FA/stewards around the world) or contract rules? Don't they know what gonna be happen as a woman (day life, accomodation, permissions etc) in an arabic country?!

 

According by news, like as jail daily life and strictly regulations applies to their life suddenly and without any information before!. It was a surprise when they came to Doha.

 

Why many FA working on behalf QR still? need job? likes Qatar? worth to earn? ...I don't think so the people insistly continue to stay in there if they are really "survive" under QR regulations and forced by management. In my opinion.

 

I'm not claim to "working life is the best in QR or Doha" but something maybe wrong in news, because of if it's totally true, we shouldn't see any western womans in QR and groups resigns takes the attention worund the world against to "womans rights". At least we should see on CNN on BBC special reports, they can't be missed out such as precious news :)

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Believe similar strict terms and conditions are imposed on foreign workers in all Middle East countries.

 

Perhaps MAR can shed some light on this.

 

 

different Middle East countries different rules..UAE is very lenient..no such thing as exit permit...in Qatar..you need your sponsor to sign off your exit permit before you can exit the country...its like a jail basically.. a good friend of mine who was an ex QR cabin crew got blacklisted from entering Qatar just because she asked for 24hr resignation notice ( she wanted to get married but was told to postpone it by management).. despite of the almost non existence of human rights...i survived Qatar for 4.5yrs

 

Since I was summoned, if I may share my experience of being employed in Saudi Arabia for 3 years, it has its ups and (more) downs evidently:

 

Ups

  • The pay is very good. Malaysians, being the higher regarded tribe by the Saudis (as compared to the Indonesians or the Filipinos for instance) can demand at least RM 15,000 per month. Executive level Malaysian at the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah for instance earns an average of RM 25,000 per month, doing a rather standard 9-5 office job. There is no tax in Saudi Arabia. All arrears in unused annual leaves for example will be compensated by cash. Bonus payment is rather generous too even for a small company.
  • I support 1 year of living and studies expenses in central London (renting in W2 and W1W post codes) using savings from my Saudi stint.

 

Downs

  • Strict social circle. I did not have a social live when I was there. Everything is restricted.
  • Only 3 events of public holidays - the 2 Hari Rayas (1 week of leave each) and the their Independence Day on 23 September.
  • My passport is being kept by my boss inside his safe at the office. I carry a Resident Permit card as an ID, in exchange.
  • A foreign worker is usually granted an annual leave of 30 days and the local employer prefer the worker to take it in 1 go, which means one has to work non stop for a year before being release for a month.
  • In my case, I worked 6 days a week (Saturday to Thursday) non stop for 3 years (Fridays excluded), being given a time off during the 3 public holidays events as mentioned in point above. During my 2nd year, I was allowed to go for my supposedly 1 month annual leave for only 1 week after working for 15 months non stop, while on my final year, I did not get any until my resignation (which was about 13 months since the last 1 week annual leave). All the days that I was denied an annual leave was compensated with cash.
  • Getting a time off is extremely difficult. During 3 years I was there, I did not get to return home for annual leave during Hari Raya for 2 years. Missed 3 weddings and a funeral of close family members. Reason given was that no one to cover for me while I am away.
  • Getting out of the country (Saudi Arabia) is a notch more difficult than Qatar. Each time I wanted to get out of the country, I need to write a letter of application to my boss. After he approves it (this after a lengthy explanation and convincing from my end), the Exit & Reentry' visa will be processed by an appointed agent. I need to pay the agent SAR 200 for the visa fees each time. This visa allows me to exit the Kingdom and re-enters it back once I am done with the leave. The visa is valid for a certain period and I need to return back into the Kingdom at exactly or within the number of days stated in the visa from the date of departure, which usually tallies with the number of leave days applied. Passport is usually given back to the employee on the last day at work (in my cases exactly on the departure days) and one needs to surrender their Resident Permit card in exchange. Failure to re-enter within the specified date/or not showing up at all (absconded) is a major immigration offence and can lead to one being blacklisted from entering the Kingdom for 5 years.
  • When one resigns, he/she will be issued a Final Exit visa, which mean he/she does not need to re-enter the Kingdom. In my case, I was not issued a Final Exit visa because my boss rejected my resignation application but I was given a conditional release of 2 years and a sum of SAR 50,000 being my end of service benefits and part of my final year bonus was not paid to me as a mean of a ransom to ensure that I return back to the Kingdom. Half of the amount was eventually paid to me 10 months after I left the Kingdom, while the other half is still due until today.
  • I had my fair shares of depressions caused by my Saudi boss on top of being admitted to the hospital twice for collapsing at work due to work-related stress. Had to undergo an EEG test during the last hospitalisation incident.
  • If I can describe the Arabs in 1 word, it would be 'difficult'.

 

I know a few other Malaysians who really enjoying their time working in Saudi Arabia and a few others who despises it all. As a Malay proverb goes, untung sambut timbul, untung batu tenggelam, and I had my shares of experience and it has been the main selling point in my resume in securing a job in the UK.

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If you are young and longing for a job in the competitive aviation sector, perhaps can dig in and bite the bullet for a couple of years and then move on to better jobs with your experience.

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Thanks for sharing your experience, MAR. There are a lot job opportunities in Dubai, but this slavery treatment is truly disgusting.

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Thank you and you are welcomed.

 

Again, I always believe that other people's bad experiences should not be a reason for you for not to follow your dreams. We have a number of MalaysianWings members here who seem happy with their Middle Eastern employers - (a lot of pilots with EK and EY), Norashikin Afifah (cabin crew with QR), Fashni M (Bahrain), drfattah87 himself et. al. In general, I observe that the UAE is better than the other GCC countries when it comes to treatments to their foreign workers, and things are generally improving albeit slowly.

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I'm not particularly OK with employer holding employee's passport, although this practice also happens in our beautiful Malaysia.

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I'm not particularly OK with employer holding employee's passport, although this practice also happens in our beautiful Malaysia.

Q: would you be able to request a replacement passport from the embassy if you want to escape an unbearable employer?

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I would say yes. I remember once reading on the news, this American lady married to a member of Arab royal family. Her passport was kept by her husband's family. She managed to escape to apply for temporary passport for travel.

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I would say yes. I remember once reading on the news, this American lady married to a member of Arab royal family. Her passport was kept by her husband's family. She managed to escape to apply for temporary passport for travel.

Easy to get a replacement for an American Passport. May not be as easy for other passports.

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Talked to qr cabin crews, as long as back to accommodation before curfew, life is like other m.e countries; party, drinks, etc are available.

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